Moroccan king's letter confirms naming of major highway in honour of Trump

What the report says

Morocco has formally confirmed that a major highway has been renamed in honour of US President Donald Trump, according to a letter from King Mohammed VI published by the country’s state press agency. The road, formerly known as the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, runs into Western Sahara, a disputed territory that Morocco claims as part of its own sovereignty and that is also claimed by the Polisario Front. The BBC reports that Trump had already thanked the king for the gesture in a social media post, but there had been no official Moroccan announcement until the letter emerged.

In the letter, dated 2 July and published over the weekend, the king described the renaming as a personal sign of respect and praised Trump’s recognition of Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara during his first term. The monarch said the US position had been memorable for Moroccans and highlighted the highway as a strategic link between northern and southern Morocco. The article notes that Morocco refers to Western Sahara as its southern provinces.

The dispute over Western Sahara has lasted for decades and remains unresolved under UN-backed efforts, with the territory listed by the United Nations as non-self-governing. The BBC also notes that the African Union recognises Sahrawi independence, while some European governments have more recently backed Moroccan autonomy proposals rather than full independence. The highway itself is reported to be 1,055km long and was said by Trump to have cost nearly $1bn, though that figure came from his social media post rather than an official Moroccan statement.